Page 13 of Call it Reckless

Together, we cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen. For the first time in ages, I felt a sense of belonging. All this time, they’d had this, and I’d been missing out, too determined to prove I’d been right about my choices.

Mama Rae’s earlier words came back to me.Roots, she said. She was right. I’d never truly appreciated them. Well, it was never too late to learn. It was time to strengthen those roots and write a new chapter, and with my family behind me, I was going to write it and write it in bold letters.

CHAPTERFOUR

Reid

The damn coffee pot was empty again.

“Is it too much to ask whoever finished the last pot of coffee to start a new one?” I yelled from the break room, but there was no answer. It was just me and a handful of others working since Sunday mornings were generally quiet in our town. I rinsed the empty coffee pot and made a fresh pot.

It might not be the best blend, but at least it was hot and strong. I needed it after my run-in with Bristol I-can-take-care-of-myself Allen last night.

“Hey, Brax.”

I looked up, surprised to see the sheriff standing in his doorway on a Sunday. Matt Kirchner was a great guy, and I owed a lot to him. He and Abby were the reasons I hadn’t gone down a path of destruction.

“Come into my office for a minute, please.”

Curious with a bit of a nagging feeling, I followed him.

“What’s up?”

He propped his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers, resting his chin on them as he appeared to study me. Matt had been a little quieter lately, often keeping his office door closed. Something was going on that he didn’t want anyone to know about.

I hated secrets. It made it harder to make contingency plans. I hoped this wouldn’t be something like someone was going to be laid off because of budget issues. That had been the rumor.

Doing my best to remain patient, I waited while he decided on whatever he wanted to say while the coffee churned in my stomach.

Finally, he leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been asked to sit on a special task force for the governor.”

I raised surprised eyes to his. “That’s great, sir. Congratulations.”

Matt nodded. “Thanks. I’m going to speak to Mayor Bowen tomorrow to tell him and give my notice that I’ll be leaving by the end of the month. I want you to know that I’m going to push for him to make you the acting sheriff in my place.”

My jaw dropped. “Thank you, sir. Those will be big shoes to fill, but I’m up for the task.”

Matt raised his hand, and my excitement dimmed. “I know you are, or I wouldn’t suggest it.” He lifted his brow. “But you should probably know the mayor is a fan of Sinclair, especially after Sinclair brought down that burglary ring a few months ago. And the mayor likes a family man.”

I grunted. Monroe Sinclair was a decent enough law enforcement officer, and we both started here at the same time. While our town didn’t have a large amount of crime, tourist season usually brought an increase, especially drunk driving and petty theft. Sinclair had caught the ringleader of a semi-organized burglary ring, but it wasn’t because of the hours of detective work he’d put in trying to solve the case. It was more that he’d been in the right place at the right time because the idiots broke into Sinclair’s house while he was home. Still, it made local citizens breathe easier at night knowing the group was currently behind bars awaiting trial in Nashville, and he’d become a bit of a local hero.

He must have sensed that comment made my nerves bristle because he held up his hand before I could respond. “Look, I know that’s unfair, and I know your background. But Bowen might see you as a single dad who can’t give 100 percent to the job. You know that’s not true.Iknow it’s not true. In fact—and I’m not supposed to say things like this—I’m hoping you take a stab at running for the position this fall.”

I sat up straighter, pleased by his faith in me but stunned he thought I was ready for that.

Matt stood and walked over to where I sat and smacked me on the shoulder. “You’re a good man, Braxton. You’re thorough and people trust you. No matter what happens with the mayor, I hope you’ll consider it.”

“Thank you, sir. I will.”

Campaigning was not something I looked forward to, but if elected, it would give me more consistent hours to be home with Lex, not to mention a higher paycheck.

“I’ll let you know how things go with Mayor Bowen,” Matt said.

“I appreciate your confidence in me.”

* * *

That afternoon,finally off duty with some time on my hands before Lexi was dropped off, I made an impulsive decision. I didn’t take the time to analyze it, but an hour later, as I turned into the driveway of Bristol’s Victorian home, I wondered if I was making a mistake.

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